Tape display case



Se t 2, 1969 J. D. GREGORY 3,464,748

TAPE DISPLAY CASE Filed Sept. 5, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG! JERRY D. GREGORY INVENTORY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. D. GREGORY TAPE DISPLAY CASE Filed Sept e mm Gw m R G D Y R R E J Sept. 2, 1969 o 4 0 w n w 4 3 G 9 .H a W (o 9 1% I! 0 w m FIG. 2

United States Patent C 3,464,748 TAPE DISPLAY CASE Jerry D. Gregory, 8109 NW. 28th, Bethany, Okla. 73127 Filed Sept. 5, 1968, Ser. No. 757,553 Int. Cl. 1505b 65/46 US. Cl. 312-216 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An upright cabinet having an open front permitting access to horizontal shelves is provided with dividers extending vertically between the shelves to define a plurality of tape container receiving slots extending horizontally inward of the cabinet from the open front. Vertically movable, normally locked gate means, supported by the cabinet, permits limited horizontal move ment of the tape containers outwardly of their respective shelf slot and removal of the containers from the cabinet only when unlocked.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to display cases and more particularly to a stereo tape container display case.

Stereo tapes are packaged for sale in rectangular boxes with the artist and songs listed on one end and opposing sides of the box so that a prospective purchaser may browse through these boxed tapes to make his selection. These tape containing boxes are relatively small, being of a size that will easily fit into a pocket or purse and thus, in some instances, invite shoplifting.

The present practice is to display these tapes within a locked glass cabinet which requires that an attendant unlock the cabinet for a prospective purchaser to handle the tapes and read the printed matter thereon. Obviously the attendant must remain near the opened cabinet and this tends to hurry or place the customer ill at ease. This invention overcomes the disadvantage of the locked glass enclosed cabinet by providing a plurality of shelf slots holding a like plurality of juxtaposed boxed stereo tapes wherein the individual box or package may be manually moved for horizontally forward from adjacent tapes so that the purchaser may read matter printed on opposing sides of the box.

Vertically movable gate means limits horizontal movement of the displayed tape containers out of their individual shelf slot until opened by an attendant after the purchaser has made his selection.

Summary of the invention An upright cabinet having an open front is horizontally divided by a plurality of shelves. The cabinet space between the shelves is vertically divided to define a plurality of stereo tape container receiving slots open to the front of the cabinet. Vertically movable open-frame gate means, supported by the cabinet, forms a guard which limits horizontal movement of the tape containers out of their respective shelf slots and permits removal of the container only when the gate is opened. Thus, this display case supports and securely retains a plurality of tape containing boxes or packages which permits a prospective purchaser to browse through the tape containing boxes and make his selections without the presence of an attendant.

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The principal object of this invention is to provide a locked-up type packaged stereo tape display case which permits prospective customers to handle the individual packaged tape.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the display case;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view, to a larger scale, taken substantially along the line 22 of FIG. 1 and illustrating, by dotted lines, the relative position of a boxed stereo tape contained by the case when pulled forwardly for inspection;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view, to a different scale, taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIGURES 4 and 5 are perspective views of alternative embodiments of the display case.

Description of the preferred embodiments Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates the display case, as a whole, comprising an upright cabinet 12 having a flat top 14 and bottom 16, vertical end walls or panels 211, all joined to a back wall 18 and defining an open front. The cabinet 12 is horizontally divided by a plurality of shelves 22 projecting at their forward limit beyond the forwardly disposed edge of the respective end panel 20. The forwardly disposed edge portion of the top 14 and bottom 16 project horizontally beyond the forward limit of the respective shelves 22 for the purposes presently apparent. The bottom 16 is maintained in parallel spaced relation above a support surface, such as a floor, by bottom front and end panels 17 for the purposes presently apparent.

The rectangular space, between respective shelves 22 and above the bottom 16 and below the top 14 defined by the lowermost and uppermost shelf 22, is transversely divided by a plurality of pairs of relatively small spacedapart rods 24 and 26. The rods 24 extend vertically through the bottom 16 and the respective shelf 22 through vertically aligned apertures arranged in a row longitudinally of the respective shelf and spaced rearwardly of its forward edge a selected distance. These rods respectively extend into sockets formed in the depending surface of the top 14. Similarly the second or back row of rods 26 extend vertically upwardly through the bottom 16 and shelves 22 into sockets formed in the depending surface of the top 14. The rods 24 and 26 are maintained in place by a plate 27 underlying their depending ends. Thus, the respective pairs of rods 24 and 26 are aligned with each other transversely of the shelves to form a plurality of vertical slots 28 open toward the front of the cabinet and dimensioned for loosely receiving a stereo tape box, one being shown in elevation at 30 (FIG. 2). The vertical spacing between the shelves is slightly greater than the vertical height of the tape containing box 30 for freedom of movement of the latter into and out of the respective slot 28. The spacing between the rows of the pairs of rods 24 and 26, transversely of the shelves, prevents any lateral movement of the rearwardly disposed end portion of the box 30 into an adjacent slot.

An open-frame work gate means, indicated generally at 32, surrounds the open front of the cabinet. The gate means 32 is partially supported by a pair of rods 34 connected respectively to the forward or front edge of the respective end panel by upper and lower lugs 36 and 38, respectively. As shown more clearly in FIG. 3, the lug 36 is provided with a socket 40 which receives an end portion of the rod 34. The lug 36 is threadedly connected with a bolt 42 extending through an aperture transversely drilled through the upper end portion of the panel 20 and secured by a nut 44. The depending lug 38 is similarly formed and connects the depending end of the rod 34 to the panel 20. Other lugs 46, similarly connected to the end panel 20 intermediate the ends of the rod 34, are transversely drilled and slidably surround the rod 34 for ease of assembly.

The gate means 32 includes a pair of support rods 48 which are respectively connected at one end portion, as by welding, with a top sleeve 50 slidably surrounding the upper end portion of the respective guide rod 34. Similarly a lower or bottom sleeve 52, connected with each support rod 48 adjacent its depending end, slidably surrounds the respective depending end portion of the guide rods 34. An intermediate sleeve 54 slidably surrounds each guide rod 34 and is connected with the respective support rod 48 intermediate its ends. A plurality of guard rods 56, one for each shelf 22, are connected at their respective ends with the respective support rod 48 a selected distance above the plane of the respective shelf 22. The guard rods 56 extend forwardly from their connection with the support rod 48 in the vertical plane of the respective end panel 20 a selected distance where they are interconnected by vertical brace rods 57 and then longitudinally across the open front of the cabinet in parallel off-set relation above the plane of the respective shelves. These guard rods 56 are normally spaced above the plane of the bottom 16 and respective shelf 22 .a distance such that they stop forward movement of the respective tape containing box 30 out of its slot 28 and normally prevent removal of the box 30 out of the cabinet.

The guard rods 56 are maintained in their tape container retaining position by a pair of lock rods 58 extending vertically through the bottom 16 in spaced-apart relation into suitable sockets 60 recessed in the depending surface of the top 14. Each of the lock rods 58 is secured to the guard rods 56, as by welding. The lock rods 58 are maintained in gate closed position by a pair of key operated locks 61 having plungers 64. Each plunger 64 normally underlies and supports the respective depending end of the lock rods 58. Thus, when it is desired to remove a tape 30 from the cabinet, the lock plungers 64 are retracted by means of a key, not shown, and the gate means 32 is moved vertically downward toward the bottom 16 so that the guard rods 56 substantially lie in the plane of the respective shelf 22, .as shown by dotted lines (FIG. 2). When the gate means 32 is opened the lowermost guard rod 56 contacts the upper surface of the bottom 16 and the depending end portions of the lock rods 58 project downwardly beyond the plane of the bottom 16. Vertical upward movement of the gate means 32 to its locked position is assisted by a pair of helical springs 66 surrounding the respective guide rod 34 and interposed between the lowermost lug 38 and lower sleeve 52, respectively.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 4 an alternative embodiment of the cabinet is illustrated at 70 which is vertically disposed cylindrical-like in general configuration comprising .a circular top 72 and bottom 74 horizontally divided by smaller diameter circular shelves 76. The spacing between the shelves are vertically divided by wedge-shaped members 78 to form a plurality of vertical tape container receiving slots 80. Tape containers within the respective slots 80 are maintained locked by an open frame-work semicircular gate means, indicated generally at 82, formed in similar fashion with respect to the gate means 32 and surrounding the circular cabinet 70.

Referring to FIG. 5, another embodiment is illustrated at comprising a rectangular open front cabinet having a substantially semicircular forwardly extending top 91 and bottom 92 which journal .a vertical shaft 93 having a plurality of circular shelves 94 connected thereto for rotation about the axis of the shaft 93. The spaces formed by the shelves 94 are vertically divided by similar wedgeshaped members 95 to form a plurality of vertical tape container receiving slots 96. A vertically disposed relatively narrow door 97 is hingedl connected to the depending surface of the semicircular top outwardly of the vertical plane defined by the shelves 94, and removably connected at its depending end to the upper surface of the semicircular bottom 92 by a lock 98. The door 97 is positioned between parallel rods 99 extending between and connected with the top 91 and bottom 92. Arcuate guard rods 100 are connected at one end with the respective end wall of the cabinet 90 and connected at their other ends to the rods 99 in horizontal spaced relation above the plane of the respective shelf 94.

Operation In operation the case 10 is preferably filled or partially filled with packaged stereo tapes to be placed on display with each packaged tape positioned within one of the respective slots 28. The gate means 32 is locked in its tape retaining position. Each tape container 30 may then be pulled forwardly out of its slot 28 until stopped by the guard rod 56 so that printing on opposite sides of the container may be read. When a customer makes his selection, an attendant unlocks the lock rods 58 and moves the gate means vertically downward to remove the selected tape and thereafter, with the aid of the springs 66, lifts the gate means 32 back to its locked position.

The embodiment 70 operates similarly in that one of the semicircular gate means 82 is unlocked and moved vertically downward for removing a selected tape.

In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 5, the shelves 94 may be manually rotated about the axis of the shaft 93 to expose tapes positioned in the slots 96. When a tape has been selected the door 97 is unlocked by an attendant and vertically pivoted outwardly about its horizontal hinge connection, as shown by dotted lines for removal of the selected tape which has been positioned behind the door 97 by rotating the shelves.

I claim:

1. A packaged tape display case, comprising: a cabinet having an open front and having laterally projecting top and bottom walls; means dividing said cabinet and forming a plurality of juxtaposed packaged tape receiving slots open toward the front of said cabinet; gate means surrounding the open front of said cabinet and normally preventing removal of packaged tape from said cabinet; and means connecting said gate means to said cabinet for movement of said gate means in a cabinet opening and closing direction.

2. Structure as specified in claim 1 in which said gate means includes a guard rod extending across the open front of said cabinet intermediate the vertical extent of the slots and in spaced relation with respect to a vertical plane defining the forward limit of the slots.

3. Structure as specified in claim 2 in which saidgate means further includes guide rods connected with said cabinet; sleeves slidably connected said gate means to said guide rods for vertical movement of said gate means; and lock means engaging said gate means and normally preventing movement of said gate means in a cabinet opening direction.

4. Structure as specified in claim 9 in which said bottom wall is provided with openings for slidably receiving one end portion of said lock rods, said top wall having sockets formed in its depending surface for nesting the respective other end portion of said lock rods; and in which said lock means comprises a lock secured to said bottom wall adjacent each said lock rod, said locks each having a plunger normally contacting the adjacent end surface of the respective said lock rod.

5. Structure as specified in claim 4 in Which the means dividing said cabinet includes a shelf, and spaced-apart pairs of rods.

6, Structure as specified in claim 4 in which said cabinet is circular and the means dividing said cabinet includes a shelf, and spaced-apart Wedge shaped members.

7. Structure as specified in claim 2 in which the means dividing asid cabinet comprises a plurality of circular shelves and spaced-apart wedge shaped members; and a shaft extending through said top and bottom walls and rotatably supporting said circular shelf.

8. Structure as specified in claim 7 in which said gate means further includes a door hingedly connected, at one end, with said top wall; and lock means removably connecting the other end of said door to said bottom wall.

9. Structure as specified in claim 3 in which said guide rods are postioned at respective sides of the open front, and in which said gate means further includes a support rod interconnecting the respective ends of said guard rods adjacent said guide rods, said sleeves being connected, respectively, with said support rods and surrounding the respective said guide rod; and spaced-apart lock rods secured to said guard rods intermediate their ends, said lock means connecting said lock rods with said top and bottom walls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,292,550 1/1919 Wheary 312-216 2,723,036 11/1955 Temple 31242 X 3,114,459 12/ 1963 Kersting 211-40 3,185,307 5/1965 Higgins 211-40 3,210,142 10/1965 Dewart 312-213 3,371,976 3/ 1968 Ritz 312245 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

